Campus Alert Archive
UMD

4 AM Swatting Call Reports AR-15 at McKeldin Library, But the Officer on Patrol Saw Nothing

MDswattingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed HoaxDetermined to be a hoax. The institutional response is documented because it reveals how the alert system performed under a perceived real threat.

At 4:17 AM EDT on September 2, 2025, a false report of a person with an AR-style weapon was called in to Prince George's County Public Safety Communications, claiming an active shooter near McKeldin Library on UMD's campus. A UMPD officer already patrolling McKeldin Mall at that time saw and heard nothing suspicious, and the university's gunshot detection system confirmed no shots fired. UMD was one of approximately 20 universities targeted by swatting hoaxes that week.

Alerts
1
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
University of Maryland, College Park
Public R1 · MD
~41,000 studentsUMD Alerts
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

FOLLOW-UPEmail
Verified verbatimUMD Alerts archive (UMD Advisory: False Report of Campus Incident)511 chars
At 4:17 a.m., UMPD was notified by the Prince George's County Public Safety Communications of a similar report in the McKeldin Library area. A UMPD officer was already patrolling McKeldin Mall. That officer had not heard or seen anything suspicious, and UMPD did not receive a notification from our gun-shot detection technology system. With the assistance from our allied agencies and our Security Operations Center, it was determined that this call was a false report and there was no threat to our community.
Verbatim text from the official UMD Advisory: False Report of Campus Incident posted to alert.umd.edu on September 2, 2025
Notably, UMPD did not send a real-time emergency alert during the incident — the advisory was issued after the call had already been determined a hoax
The 4:17 AM EDT timing minimized disruption, as few students were on campus at that hour
Context

Background

At 4:17 AM EDT on September 2, 2025, the University of Maryland Police Department was alerted to a report of an active shooter near McKeldin Library via Prince George's County Public Safety Communications. The caller reported a person with an AR-style weapon. However, a UMPD officer was already patrolling McKeldin Mall at that exact time and reported not seeing or hearing anything suspicious. The university's gunshot detection technology system also had not triggered, providing a second layer of counter-evidence. With assistance from allied agencies and the Security Operations Center, the call was quickly determined to be a false report. UMD was the most recent victim of an escalating wave of swatting targeting college campuses, with approximately 20 universities hit by similar hoaxes that week alone. By mid-September 2025, at least 45 colleges and universities had been victimized during the fall semester. The 4:17 AM timing of the call minimized disruption, as few students were on campus.
Analysis

Key Findings

UMD's gunshot detection system and a patrolling officer provided immediate counter-evidence, enabling rapid confirmation of the false alarm
The 4:17 AM timing minimized disruption but also meant fewer potential witnesses to corroborate or refute the report
UMD was one of approximately 20 universities targeted by swatting hoaxes in a single week during fall 2025
Outcome
The report was quickly determined to be a false alarm with help from allied agencies and the Security Operations Center. No evidence of gunfire, no weapon, no injuries. The incident was part of a nationwide wave of swatting targeting approximately 20 universities.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    UMD receives false report of active shooter near McKeldin Library (The Diamondback)
    dbknews.com
  2. News
    University of Maryland reports false active shooter on campus (WUSA9)
    wusa9.com
  3. News
    False report of shooting at U.Md. campus is latest hit to colleges across US (WTOP)
    wtop.com
  4. News
    Fake shooting report at UMD comes amidst wave of college campus hoaxes (FOX 5 DC)
    fox5dc.com
  5. Source
    Surge in Swatting Incidents: Number of Hoax Threats Continues to Grow (Campus Safety Magazine)
    campussafetymagazine.com
Tags
swattingmarylandhoaxgunshot-detectionwave-of-threatspublic-universityovernight-incidentHoax
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion